The invention relates generally to cryogenic fluid storage and delivery systems and, more particularly, to a vehicle-mounted system for storing liquid natural gas and supplying natural gas fuel to the engine of the vehicle.
Interest in the use of liquid natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for motor vehicles has increased dramatically in recent years. Several factors have influenced this. LNG is relatively inexpensive and provides an alternative to fuel oil from foreign sources. In addition, it burns very cleanly, making it much easier for fleets to meet more restrictive pollution emission standards.
LNG fuel is typically dispensed in liquid form to LNG-powered vehicles from stations that store the LNG in bulk tanks. The LNG is stored as a liquid in tanks mounted onboard the vehicles because such an arrangement reduces the space necessary to contain the fuel. Given that LNG is a cryogenic fluid, and thus has a boiling point below xe2x88x92150xc2x0 F., the vehicle tanks must be well insulated. Vehicle-mounted LNG tanks often include a double-walled construction with the space between the walls evacuated of air or otherwise insulated.
A problem encountered with LNG fuel systems is that if a storage tank filled with LNG is allowed to sit without being used, heat will be transferred to the LNG causing it to vaporize and build pressure in the storage tank. Prior art systems often vent the pressurized natural gas to the atmosphere to regulate the pressure within the tank.
While such venting itself is not hazardous, natural gas is flammable and may present a fire hazard at the vent stack where open flames or sparks in the vicinity of the vent stack can ignite the venting gas. Additionally, any venting represents a loss of fuel that goes to waste instead of powering the vehicle. Such conditions obviously are undesirable.
As a result, arrangements for relieving the pressure within LNG tanks without venting to the atmosphere have been developed. One such arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein an economizer circuit is indicated in general at 14. A withdrawal line 10 communicates through a heat exchanger 12 with a dip tube 8 that is submersed within the LNG 4 stored in tank 2. Due to the pressure within the tank 2, LNG is forced through dip tube 8 and is vaporized in heat exchanger 12. Gas may then be provided to a use device through withdrawal line 10. The economizer circuit 14 includes a line 16 connecting the gas head 6 to the withdrawal line 10. A regulator 18 is located in the line 16 and allows vapor to be delivered to the use device from gas head 6 when the pressure in the tank rises above the predetermined level set at regulator 18. By pulling vapor from gas head 6, instead of liquid through dip tube 8, the pressure in tank 2 falls dramatically.
LNG is preferably stored in vehicle-mounted tanks at a pressure of up to approximately 200 psig. Low pressure tanks maximize the advantages of LNG storage as LNG is denser at lower pressures thus enabling more fuel to be stored in low pressure tanks. For engines that operate at pressures at or below 200 psi, the fuel delivery system is that shown in FIG. 1. However, some engines have direct gas injection at pressures as high as 3000 psi. As a result, in addition to an onboard LNG storage tank and a vaporizer, the LNG fuel storage and supply system of a vehicle typically includes a pump. The low-pressure LNG from the storage tank is pumped as a liquid up to the engine""s operating pressure, is vaporized and delivered to the engine as a high pressure gas, typically in the range of 500 psig to 3000 psig.
A major disadvantage of such systems is the inability of the pump to reduce the tank pressure as it operates. The problem is compounded in that, in addition to the heat entering the liquid through the tank insulation, heat generated by the pump itself causes the pressure in the onboard tank to rise. If the pressure in the tank is not relieved, it may build up to relief valve pressure while in use and vent while traveling down the road. It definitely will have to be vented down to low pressure when the vehicle comes to the filling station to be refueled.
Prior art economizer systems, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1, are not suitable for use with onboard LNG storage and supply systems featuring a pump. This is because the two portions of the LNG use/withdrawal line communicate with either the pump inlet or the pump outlet. Since most cryogenic pumps are incapable of pumping vapor, connecting the outlet of the economizer circuit (14 in FIG. 1) to the pump inlet via the LNG use/withdrawal line is not an option. Furthermore, the pressure of the portion of the LNG use/withdrawal line that communicates with the outlet of the pump is at a pressure higher than the tank""s operating pressure, so connecting the outlet of the economizer circuit there is also not an option. A need therefore exists for an economizer system that works with a pumped LNG system.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a natural gas fuel storage and supply system for vehicles that does not vent the onboard fuel storage tank to the atmosphere while in use or during refueling.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an economizer circuit that works with natural gas fuel storage and supply system for vehicles that feature pumps.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a natural gas fuel storage and supply system for vehicles that permits low-pressure, onboard LNG storage tanks to be used.
The present invention is directed to a natural gas fuel storage and supply system for vehicles. The system features an insulated tank containing a supply of liquid natural gas (LNG) with a headspace there above. A pump is in communication with the tank and a vaporizer is in circuit between the pump and the vehicle engine so that liquid cryogen from the tank is transferred to the vaporizer when the pump is activated. As a result, pressurized LNG vapor is produced and supplied to the engine of the vehicle for use as fuel.
A vapor line is connected between the headspace of the tank and the air intake of the vehicle engine. A control valve is positioned in the vapor line and opens when the engine of the vehicle is in operation. A regulator is also positioned within the vapor line and is set to open when a predetermined pressure within the tank headspace is reached. As a result, when the engine is in operation, and the regulator is open, vapor from the headspace of the tank travels to the air intake of the vehicle engine so that pressure within the tank is relieved. A flow control device is in circuit between the regulator and the air intake of the vehicle engine and is sized to prevent the air and LNG vapor mixture that is produced at the engine air intake from being combustible. The control device may be an orifice, a flow control valve or any other flow control device known in the art.
The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings, provide a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention.